# 2014 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team

The 2014 BYU Cougars women's volleyball team represented Brigham Young University in the 2014 NCAA Division I women's volleyball season. The Cougars, led by fourth year head coach Shawn Olmstead, played their home games at Smith Fieldhouse. The Cougars were members of the WCC and were picked to win the conference title in the preseason poll.
The Cougars won the WCC Championship in November and were awarded an NCAA Tournament berth. Despite being ranked in the Top 15 all season, BYU wasn't awarded one of the 16 NCAA Seeds for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, forcing the Cougars to play on the road. BYU proceeded to win the Tucson Area, Seattle Regional, and became the first ever unseeded team to make it to the NCAA Volleyball Championship match. 6 different BYU players were awarded WCC honors, and 3 BYU players were awarded All-American honors. Shawn Olmstead was also named Coach of the year (see Season highlights).
The Cougars were swept by Penn State in the NCAA Championship match, giving the Nittany Lions their seventh national title, but the Cougars NCAA Tournament run gave the Cougars the #3 ranking at the end of the season.

## Season highlights

* The Cougars began the season by sweeping 9 straight sets to win the 2014 Blue & Gold Player's Challenge.
* The Cougars were the last WCC team to lose a conference match.
* BYU clinched a share of the WCC title with their victory over San Diego on Nov. 14.
* BYU clinched the outright WCC title with their victory over Portland on Nov. 20.
* Alexa Gray was named the WCC player of the year; Whitney Young was named WCC defensive player of the year; Shawn Olmstead was named Co-Coach of the Year; Gray, Young, and Jennifer Hamson won WCC First team honors; and Amy Boswell was named WCC honorable mention.
* Boswell, Hamson, and Tia Withers Welling earned Academic All-WCC team first honors. Tambre Nobles and Young were named Honorable mention Academic All-WCC team members.
* Jennifer Hamson was named the Seattle Region MVP.
* Jennifer Hamson was made a first team All-American. Alexa Gray was named a second team All-American. Amy Boswell was named an Honorable mention All-American.
* Shawn Olmstead was named AVCA Coach of the year.
* BYU became the first unseeded team to make the NCAA Championship.

## Schedule

BYU Radio simulcast all BYUtv games with the BYUtv feed. BYU Radio also carried the NCAA semifinals and finals with Dave Neeley providing the call.
| Date Time | Opponent | Rank | Arena City (Tournament) | Television | Score | Attendance | Record (WCC Record) |
| 8/29 5 p.m. | @ West Virginia | #9 | WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV (Gold & Blue Player's Challenge) | Mountaineer TV | W 3-0 (29–27, 25–20, 25–20) | 632 | 1-0 |
| 8/30 9:30 a.m. | vs. IUPUI | #9 | WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV (Gold & Blue Player's Challenge) | | W 3-0 (25–19, 25–17, 25–18) | 218 | 2-0 |
| 8/30 2:30 p.m. | vs. Toledo | #9 | WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV (Gold & Blue Player's Challenge) | | W 3-0 (25–15, 25–20, 25–14) | 215 | 3-0 |
| 9/5 7 p.m. | #5 Washington | #10 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (BYU Invitational) | BYUtv | L 3-2 (25–18, 22–25, 25–21, 21–25, 15–10) | 3,017 | 3-1 |
| 9/6 Noon | UMBC | #10 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (BYU Invitational) | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–12, 25–15, 25–13) | N/A | 4-1 |
| 9/6 7 p.m. | Utah Valley | #10 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (BYU Invitational) | TheW.tv | W 3-0 (25–18, 25–18, 25–16) | 1,052 | 5-1 |
| 9/12 11 a.m. | vs. #14 Colorado State | #9 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM (UTEP/NMSU Invitational) | | L 3-1 (23–25, 25–23, 25–20, 28–26) | 104 | 5-2 |
| 9/12 7 p.m. | @ UTEP | #9 | Memorial Gymnasium El Paso, TX (UTEP/NMSU Invitational) | C-USA Digital | W 3-0 (25–17, 25–6, 25–16) | 793 | 6-2 |
| 9/13 Noon | @ New Mexico State | #9 | Pan American Center Las Cruces, NM (UTEP/NMSU Invitational) | ESPN3/Altitude | W 3-0 (25–16, 25–19, 25–21) | 801 | 7-2 |
| 9/16 7 p.m. | @ Idaho State | #12 | Reed Gym Pocatello, ID | Watch Big Sky | W 3-0 (25–18, 25–22, 25–14) | 869 | 8-2 |
| 9/19 7 p.m. | Utah | #12 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT (Deseret First Duel) | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–18, 25–16, 25–7) | 3,814 | 9-2 |
| 9/25 7 p.m. | *Gonzaga | #11 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–22, 25–17, 25–13) | 1,477 | 10-2 (1–0) |
| 9/27 1 p.m. | *Portland | #11 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–16, 25–22, 25–21) | 1,104 | 11-2 (2–0) |
| 9/30 7 p.m. | *@ Pepperdine | #10 | Firestone Fieldhouse Malibu, CA | ESPNU | W 3-0 (25–17, 25–21, 25–20) | 823 | 12-2 (3–0) |
| 10/2 7 p.m. | *San Francisco | #10 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-1 (25–18, 25–18, 23–25, 25–11) | 1,134 | 13-2 (4–0) |
| 10/4 8 p.m. | *Santa Clara | #10 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–10, 25–15, 25–18) | 1,386 | 14-2 (5–0) |
| 10/9 8 p.m. | *@ Pacific | #10 | Alex G. Spanos Center Stockton, CA | TheW.tv | W 3-1 (20–25, 25–17, 25–21, 25–17) | 745 | 15-2 (6–0) |
| 10/11 2 p.m. | *@ Saint Mary's | #10 | McKeon Pavilion Moraga, CA | TheW.tv | W 3-1 (25–12, 23–25, 27–25, 25–14) | 323 | 16-2 (7–0) |
| 10/17 8 p.m. | *@ San Diego | #9 | Jenny Craig Pavilion San Diego, CA | TheW.tv | L 3-2 (25–18, 22–25, 17–25, 25–20, 15–8) | 876 | 16-3 (7–1) |
| 10/23 7 p.m. | *Loyola Marymount | #12 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | TheW.tv | W 3-0 (25–19, 25–9, 25–23) | 1,064 | 17-3 (8–1) |
| 10/25 1 p.m. | *Pepperdine | #12 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-1 (25–10, 20–25, 25–20, 25–17) | 1,286 | 18-3 (9–1) |
| 10/30 7 p.m. | *@ Santa Clara | #11 | Leavey Center Santa Clara, CA | Santa Clara Portal | L 3-0 (25–14, 25–21, 25–15) | 300 | 18-4 (9–2) |
| 11/1 2 p.m. | *@ San Francisco | #11 | War Memorial Gymnasium San Francisco, CA | TheW.tv | W 3-0 (25–20, 26–24, 25–14) | 233 | 19-4 (10–2) |
| 11/6 7 p.m. | *Saint Mary's | #14 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–15, 25–15, 25–13) | 1,296 | 20-4 (11–2) |
| 11/8 1 p.m. | *Pacific | #14 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-0 (25–21, 27–25, 26–24) | 1,487 | 21-4 (12–2) |
| 11/14 7:30 p.m. | *San Diego | #13 | Smith Fieldhouse Provo, UT | BYUtv | W 3-1 (25–13, 25–15, 21–25, 25–15) | 2,298 | 22-4 (13–2) |
| 11/20 8 p.m. | *@ Portland | #12 | Chiles Center Portland, OR | Portland Portal | W 3-0 (25–14, 25–19, 25–21) | 390 | 23-4 (14–2) |
| 11/22 1 p.m. | *@ Gonzaga | #12 | Charlotte Y. Martin Centre Spokane, WA | TheW.tv | W 3-2 (21–25, 17–25, 25–18, 25–21, 15–10) | 823 | 24-4 (15–2) |
| 11/25 8 p.m. | *@ Loyola Marymount | #12 | Gersten Pavilion Los Angeles, CA | TheW.tv | W 3-1 (30–28, 25–12, 23–25, 25–21) | 526 | 25-4 (16–2) |
| 12/4 4 p.m. | y-vs. Seton Hall | #12 | McKale Center Tucson, AZ (NCAA 1st Round) | P12 Digital | W 3-0 (25–16, 25–18, 25–17) | 2,001 | 26-4 |
| 12/5 5:30 p.m. | y-@ #14 Arizona | #12 | McKale Center Tucson, AZ (NCAA 2nd Round) | P12 Digital | W 3-1 (22–25, 25–20, 25–23, 25–23) | 1,515 | 27-4 |
| 12/12 5 p.m. | y-vs. #8 Florida State | #12 | Alaska Airlines Arena Seattle, WA (NCAA regional semifinal) | ESPN3 | W 3-1 (25–20, 25–19, 19–25, 26–24) | 6,789 | 28-4 |
| 12/13 9:30 p.m. | y-vs. #11 Nebraska | #12 | Alaska Airlines Arena Seattle, WA (NCAA Regional final) | ESPNU | W 3-0 (25–21, 25–20, 25–21) | 4,885 | 29-4 |
| 12/18 5 p.m. | y-vs. #6 Texas | #12 | Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City, OK (NCAA Semifinal) | ESPN2 | W 3-1 (25–23, 25–16, 17–25, 26–24) | 9,824 | 30-4 |
| 12/20 5:30 p.m. | y-vs. #4 Penn State | #12 | Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City, OK (NCAA Final) | ESPN2 | L 0-3 (21–25, 24–26, 14–25) | 11,018 | 30-5 |
    *-Indicates Conference Opponent
    y-Indicates NCAA Playoffs
    Times listed are Mountain Time Zone.

## Announcers for televised games

* @ West Virginia: No announcers (video only)
* Washington: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* UMBC: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* Utah Valley: Robbie Bullough & Dave Neeley
* @ UTEP: No announcers (video only)
* @ New Mexico State: Adam Young & Kelli Alvord
* @ Idaho State: Matt Steuart & Kade Vance
* Utah: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant, & Andy Boyce
* Gonzaga: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* Portland: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* @ Pepperdine: Kevin Barnett & Holly McPeak
* San Francisco: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant & Andy Boyce
* Santa Clara: Spencer Linton, Amy Gant, & Andy Boyce
* @ Pacific: Don Gubbins
* @ Saint Mary's: Anthony Schultz & Betsy Sedlak
* @ San Diego: Chris Loucks
* Loyola Marymount: Robbie Bullough & Dave Neeley
* Pepperdine: Jarom Jordan, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* @ Santa Clara: No announcers (video only)
* @ San Francisco: Pat Olson
* Saint Mary's: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* Pacific: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* San Diego: Spencer Linton, Kristen Kozlowski, & Andy Boyce
* @ Portland: No announcers (video only)
* @ Gonzaga: No announcers (video only)
* @ Loyola Marymount: Steve Quis & Dustin Avol
* vs. Seton Hall: No announcers (video only)
* @ Arizona: No announcers (video only)
* vs. Florida State: Sam Gore & Holly McPeak
* vs. Nebraska: Sam Gore & Holly McPeak
* vs. Texas: Beth Mowins, Karch Kiraly, & Holly Rowe
* vs. Penn State: Beth Mowins, Karch Kiraly, & Holly Rowe